Cookware

Stella Johnson

Active Member
I read about a year ago that by 2010 the government is requiring all cookware companies to take the nonstick cookware off the market. Apparently at high temps it gives off carcinogens. (but they think it is acceptable to continue selling them now?)

I need new pots and pans and I've been shopping around. This may be a stupid question but the "anodized" ones.... are they the nonstick material? Do you have to use plastic utinsels with them?

I'm also looking at stainless steel. Any suggestions?

Steph
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I have some commercial calphalon type cookware. It is wonderful - AFTER you get it seasoned. You do have to keep it oiled, ( a spray before you cook in it usually and once in a while you should fry something in a few Tablespoons of olive oil or whatever.

I have 1 skillet, 1 tall stockpot, 1 medication size saucepan and 1 very small saucepan.

I notice that except for eggs, these are by far the fave for everyone in the house. This includes my daughter - who had to scrub the scrambled eggs off of them til she learned to do the eggs a different way! And my husband who used to swear that only stainless steel was good for cooking. And he had really cheap cruddy stainless steel that burned everything!!

I think this is made by calphalon, but the bottom only says commercial. You can go to restaurant supply houses and get some very good deals on all sorts of cookware.

Susie
 

susiestar

Roll With It
What I am able to find is a ban on ONE chemical that goes into nonstick cookware. 3M says they have already stopped using it in nonstick cookware. A similar chemical was banned years ago.

I think if you are to buy teflon brand lined pans, and remember that they are for low tem items like eggs and pancakes, it should not pose a problem

As has always been the case, if you have a bird you should be very careful with keeping the pans at a low temp or medication temp for cooking.

Hope this helps,

Susie
 

Josie

Active Member
I have a concern about the nonstick cookware also. I am considering enamel covered cast iron. Le Crueset is one brand but I have seen some that I think is similar at the grocery store. Le Crueset is expensive so I have one piece that I am trying out. So far I like it but it is extremely heavy. There is a 5 piece set online for $90 of a different brand.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
I have a mixture of Circulon Commercial, Cephalon Commercial and stainless. I like soup and sauce in the stainless for some reason. Just preference I'm sure.
I'm not even sure if there is a difference between the Circulon or Cephalon to tell the truth.
If there are carcinogens in the non stick cook ware, I'm pretty sure it's too late to stop it in me. I love non stick and have used it my whole adult life.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
What I have is the anodyzed, like Calphalon. I think it is a line Calphalon made and sold at higher than their usual prices. I was helping a friend move and she found them in a box. They were hers from before her marriage. She had some she had just gotten, so she gave them to me. That is why I am quite sure that they were the most expensive she could find (and the label on the bottom has upheld this) as that is all she bought before her marriage, and on many things after.

It has been pretty widely known as far I am am aware of that too high a temp in a nonstick teflon skillet can give off poisonous gasses. People with birds get this wisdom frequently. the change in the chemicals used to make teflon were to help with this, and apparently 3M claims that this current chemical is not in their Teflon anymore anyway.

As far as lecreuset vs others, what I have used of it has highly impressed me, but I can not possible lift it.

Personally, I LOVE my club aluminum dutch oven. And, at $3 at a garage sale, it was even pre-seasoned. I have had a piece or 2 of club nonstick, but well seasoned club aluminum worked as well and cleaned most things up better. by the way, I am not usually the rush and clean the pan before we eat type. I am more the let it sit like concrete and then see what we can do type.

Anyway,

Happy cooking!!

Susie
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I mostly use cast iron and stainless steel for all my cooking. The stainless steel set was a gift for our Wedding from his sister and it has a really thick and heavy bottom for even cooking and was apparently very expensive and it has aged VERY well - I love it!

However, as a throwback to my childhood, I also enjoy cooking in my cast iron crocks and frying pans. I really only use the stainless for when I make eggs because it works so well with the spray oil, nothing sticks. The cast iron skillet is awesome for giant pancakes and stirfrys.

I never like non-stick pan coatings becausem inevitably, the coating began to peel and get into our food. One time, my exh (who loved the stuff) made mashed the potatos for me at Thanksgiving and when we went to eat it there were black specks in it. I asked if he added pepper and he said no. Guess what he did? He used the mixer in the non-stick pan and it tore off the coating and it wound up in our potatos. Ah well, no mashed potatos for Thanksgiving dinner that year!
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
I have a couple of anondized pans. You are supposed to be able to use metal on them, but I don't. They are totally non-stick, but you have to keep them at lower temps, too; mainly for keeping the surface in non-stick condition. I frequently use pans in the oven to finish cooking something and they reccomend not to use in an oven over 400 degrees.
 
I too have 2 nonstick pans (one griddle for pancakes and one skillet for eggs) for low temp things. I have one cast iron for bacon (oh YUM) and a large ugly blue Club dutch oven that would not burn if I sent it to Mercury. The rest are stainless. What I would LIKE to do is start getting some enamel cookware.

Can't afford it, but I'd like to.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Steph

I love my enamel covered cast iron pots and roaster. They don't look like they'd be easy to clean up, but they really are. Alot of people tend to only thing of them in the camping atmosphere, but I use mine all of the time.

I have one or two on my xmas list this year. :smile: :blizzard:

I bought an expensive non stick skillet last year. It's okay, but the darn thing has "hot spots" in it and I have to be careful when ccoking with it or it'll burn.

Now I didn't know about the low temp thing with the teflon. But thankfully I only cook on medication and low heat anyway.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
I got my entire set as a gift from my Mom.

I have all metal pots (except for 1 huge skillet)
They have 24k gold handles (my mom is extravagant)
They came with a set of metal utensils
They came with glass lids that have 24 k. gold rims and knobs

If I burn, scorch, melt or ruin one in cooking I box it up and return it - their customer service was outstanding.

Since getting them I got the hotplate with-2 extra pots for holiday warming and thoroughly love them.

DF burnt oatmeal in one (don't ask) I sent it back and they replaced it. No charge.

They are on QVC. Decent price too.
 

mrscatinthehat

Seussical
I am using hand me down pots. When my kitchen is redone I will be buying new ones which means maybe by 2015. I am enjoying reading what you all have to say here.

Beth
 

Marguerite

Active Member
Soon after we married husband & I bought a set of stainless steel pots & pans. We also bought a cast iron wok and seasoned it. We found that GOOD cast iron is remarkably cheap, but does need to be seasoned. That's when you coat it with oil and burn it.

However, I've been finding that the cast iron cookware is now too heavy for me to use. I have some flat trays which were shiny when I bought them (cheap) because they were plated with something, over cast iron. So the plating has burnt off/scratched off and they are amazingly non-stick.

I'm buying a lot of non-stick cookware though, and have bought silicone spatulas, tongs etc to use in them because they do scratch easily. I'm also buying silicone bakeware, which I love.

husband would know about any toxicity issues, he's constantly on the alert for us and for his job.

Marg
 
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